Vaestic literature

The tradition of literature in Outer Joriscia and modern Vaestdom is a long one, stretching from the earliest period of the First Chotarian Empire to the modern day. Although modern Joriscian literature largely derives from the Messenian literary tradition transferred by the Secotes, there is also a considerable degree of influence from other traditions and many centuries of independent development have produced a literary culture that to Messenians can sometimes seem alien.

Form

Use of verse

Traditional Outer Joriscian literature, which includes a broad base of modern literary styles, is characterised by use of repetition, internal and interlinear rhyme and use of strict meter, features largely adopted from Secote and, to some extent, pre-Secote Joriscian style. 'True' verse - i.e. literature of the poetic kind familiar to Messenians - dominated the literary landscape until the Radiance, when other styles became far more common and broadly practised in the newly open and accepting intellectual environment; classic literature of this kind, including for example all High Plays and many long Formulae, is written in very strict meter and makes great use of alliteration and rhyme schemes. Even after the emergence of prose as a common writing style in the late 17th and early 18th centuries, internal rhyme, use of meter, alliteration and repetition have remained pervasive features of both literary and academic styles; very few texts, even scientific or philosophical, will be completely without examples of this kind of rhetorical flourish. The so-called Pietograph style, which is a colloquially phrased short story describing various paragons of Vesnite virtue, is the only common genre that dispenses entirely with these flourishes; the writings of some avant-garde authors who model their work on the Pietograph style likewise attempt to phrase things in this manner.

Language

The earliest Outer Joriscian literature in the post-Secote period was written almost entirely in High Secote, although some early local literature, for example Sirian religious poetry in Old Rashimic, can be found in other languages. In the late 13th century, much more colloquial literature begins to emerge, including Low Plays and translations of the Pochizinia and other works of classic literature into local languages. This development probably stems from the reemergence of local literati and perhaps the absorption of the imported educated Messenian slave class (originally largely High Secote-speaking) into the emerging native Rabtat school culture. During the very early Vaestic period, colloquial religious literature, including mystical poetry, enjoyed a brief period of prominence in the Vesnite regions of Outer Joriscia; this was brought to an end by the re-assertion of High Secote and the emergence of Rashimic as the lingua franca of the Vaestic Schools in the Neritsovid period. High Secote became gradually less important over the course of the Neritsovid period, with Rashimic largely displacing it from some (although by no means all) of its traditional domains; outside the borders of the Empire's direct control, native literature was produced in Argote, Gergote and Agar among other languages. With the Radiance and the reassertion of various local powers, literature in colloquial languages became increasingly more prominent. Today, although much religious literature (including many formulae) remains in High Secote, great bodies of literature exist and are produced in Rashimic, Lacrean, Zemayan and Agar, as well as to a lesser extent in some of the more minor languages of the region.